Collide
by cnfzdpsychosis
Summary: Somehow they just always end up colliding.


A/N: beta'd again by A Spot of Bother. My first kind of long fanfiction, and I'm surprised it survived because Bother almost killed herself fixing all of my errors. Oh, and Namine is ooc.

Collide

Collide- to strike together with great force

Roxas fidgeted, nervous about what the results of his action – or inaction as the case may be – would bring. 'This is stupid,' he thought. 'I'm just asking him to eat with me, it's not like it's bloody marriage.' Yet the thumping of his heart showed no interest in what his brain was saying and refused to slow down.

"Roxas! Roxas, man, slow down I wanna tell you some – ouch!" Roxas started out of his reverie, staring down at his friend, now sprawled along the sidewalk in front of their school, a grin still spread along his face. "Nice collision man, wanna tell me what's got you so wrapped up you can't even walk in a straight line?" Roxas let a small smile grace his features before helping Axel up.

"Shut. Up." To emphasize his point, Roxas shoved Axel back down to the sidewalk.

"Ouch, hostility a little high today? What's going on with you?" Axel rubbed his now bruising butt. Roxas just glared at him. "Ok, ok, chill out man." He said, raising his hands as if surrendering.

"Axel, do you have time to grab some lunch with me?" 'Nothing like spur of the moment,' he thought. "I really need to tell you something." Axel grinned but his smile disappeared at the softness of his friend's voice.

"Roxas, I'd really like to, but that's what I wanted to tell you. I finally got Namine to agree to a date." Roxas felt his heart shatter, but what was a broken heart when his friend was so happy?

"How the hell did you manage that?" Roxas gasped. Namine _hated_ Axel.

"Pure persistence." Axel grinned. "Yep, since school lets out early today, she said she'd have lunch with me. Some restaurant I've never even heard of, but what- Roxas, what's wrong?" Roxas was walking away from him. Roxas _never_ walked away from him. In fact he was the _only_ one that Roxas didn't walk away from. Axel jogged to catch him. "Roxas!" he yelled, grabbing his wrist.

"Nothing's the matter, Axel." He said flatly, yanking his arm away as if he'd been burned. "I'm very happy for you." Axel raised an eyebrow, telling Roxas that he clearly didn't believe him.

"If you said that with any less emotion, Roxas, I'd have to check for a pulse. What did you want to tell me?" Roxas just rolled his eyes and began to walk away again.

"It doesn't matter now, so just drop it." Again, Axel jogged to catch up.

"No, I want to know. What was so important?" Roxas stepped around him.

"Nothing! Drop it!" he yelled over his shoulder. Axel stopped and stared after him, disbelief written all over his face. 'Roxas just blew me off…' His eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched Roxas walk away from him. Something was up and Axel refused to let it go.

Running after him, Axel let his momentum carry him forward, colliding into Roxas and wrapping his arms around him, pinning him. "Now," he said calmly, as if this were an everyday occurrence, "what did you want to tell me?"

"Let me go, Axel." Roxas' voice was soft, words spoken quietly through gritted teeth. Axel had heard that voice before, directed at someone who was annoying Roxas, their last warning before a fight broke out – but never had that voice been directed at him. Stunned, he obeyed Roxas' command. Straightening his clothes, Roxas refused to meet Axel's gaze. "Enjoy your lunch with Namine." Axel nodded and began to walk away. "What I wanted to tell you was…" Roxas started, and Axel stilled, turning his head to glance back at his friend. "…iloveyou." And he ran.

Axel stood where he was, watching his friend run until he could no longer see his outline. "Olive juice?"

* * *

"Idiotic. So stupid, I'm acting like a fucking lovesick teenage girl!" Roxas sighed, flopping onto the couch in the apartment he shared with Kairi. They were both students, both broke, and the arrangement suited them perfectly. Kairi kept the apartment presentable, Roxas scared off unwanted attention.

"I heard that, Roxas!" Roxas stuck out his tongue as Kairi propped herself next to him. "I'm guessing it didn't go over well."

"No…he's on a date with Namine." Kairi set her cup down, choosing instead to rest her hand lightly on Roxas' arm.

"Perhaps it would have been better if you told him earlier…y'know? Maybe when you first found out? But maybe- " Roxas' head jerked up and he glowered at her.

"Don't even say it." Kairi sighed, shifting to get more comfortable with the couch.

"Alright, alright." Roxas sighed, resting his head in his hands.

"I just can't…I don't communicate well. I told him and I ran. I ran away. I don't even know if he understood me." Kairi rolled her eyes at her lovesick friend.

"Roxas, I'm gonna do you a favor. Sora's helping Axel get ready and then we're going out. I want you to stay here. You can't leave, ok?" Roxas shifted, moving so he could become one with the couch but he stilled instantly when he caught the mischievous twinkle in Kairi's eye.

"Kairi, what are you up to?" Kairi smiled, a sweet, completely twisted little smile.

"Roxas, Sora is getting upset that we live together. I'm merely going to settle his uneasiness," she said sweetly.

* * *

"Do I look alright?" Axel asked, pulling at his tie and attempting to control his unruly red mass of hair. Sora rolled his eyes again, attention drawn to the open door that Kairi was walking through.

"You look quite handsome, Axel." Kairi, said, setting down her purse while shutting the door. Sora's smile turned into a scowl. "I said he looked handsome Sora, that doesn't mean you're getting replaced."

"You're early," Sora noted, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Not that I'm complaining." It was Axel's turn to roll his eyes as Kairi laughed.

"Well, Roxas was in a bad mood, so I left." Sora stiffened and his smile vanished again.

"Kairi, you know I don't like you living with him." Kairi laughed again.

"Afraid you're going to get replaced, Sora?" Axel laughed, fixing his tie for the hundredth time that night.

"As if, Sora. If Kairi wanted you replaced she would have done it already." Sora scowled in his direction.

"Thank you, Axel." Axel nodded.

"Kairi, is he alright? He seemed out of it earlier." Kairi just rolled her eyes.

"His new love infatuation. He's been trying to tell this person forever that he's in love with them, but he keeps getting tongue-tied and whatnot. Now he thinks he's completely blown his chance." Sora laughed.

"Roxas? Yeah right. He could have any girl he wanted. Hell, plenty of girls are _throwing_ themselves at him."

Axel laughed, trying to fight down a pang of jealousy. 'Where the hell did that come from?' he wondered.

"Aha!" Kairi shouted in triumph. "The real reason you don't like me living with Roxas!" Sora groaned.

"God, will you just drop it?" Axel laughed again at his friend's dilemma.

"I'll make a deal with you, Kairi. I'll trade you Sora for Roxas. That should solve everything." Kairi laughed again, more at Sora's response than Axel's words. Sora was beaming like a lighthouse.

"Hey, man, if you want to deal with Roxas' mood swings. That guy is more unpredictable than a girl with her period, and I can say that." Sora and Axel laughed.

"Oh hey, yeah." Sora interrupted. "So what's Roxas' new love interest?" Kairi just sighed absent-mindedly as if she didn't know.

"Who knows? He won't tell me. I bet Axel could get it out of him, though." Axel raised an eyebrow, still fiddling with his tie in the mirror.

"Nope, he hasn't said anything to me. Actually, I didn't even know he was dating." Kairi raised an eyebrow, trying to look innocent.

"Oh yeah. You should see the guys he brings home." Axel and Sora froze. Kairi was trying not to laugh. "You…didn't know? Yeah, Roxas is gay." Two sets of eyes, both as big as saucers stared at her. "You're telling me you didn't know. Oh my god! He's your best friend and neither one of you knew! You're both unbelievable!" Sora and Axel stared at her; Kairi seemed to tower over both of them as she yelled. "Both of you! Unbelievable!" She stormed out, leaving Sora and Axel to stand in a muted silence. Then Sora left, leaving an open mouthed Axel alone in his living room.

Axel sat down, letting his mind absorb the new information. 'Roxas is gay. Ok, fine with that. Why didn't he tell me? Or was he trying to? Was that what is wanted to tell me? Move on, Axel, there's more to it than that. Whatever he muttered, it wasn't that piece of information. He's in love with someone. But who? Kairi didn't say anything, just that it was a guy…' And Axel sat straight up.

Diving off the couch and for the door, Axel grabbed a jacket on the way.

* * *

"Become one with the couch, Roxas. You are the couch, Roxas. Stop talking to yourself, Roxas." Shifting again on the couch, he decided it just wasn't worth the effort. He was getting antsy from being shut inside all day, but Kairi had ordered him to stay in the apartment, and he knew it would mean certain death if he dared to defy her. Besides, it was now pouring, belying the earlier sunshine.

Pacing the floor, he decided to mentally prepare himself for his next encounter with Axel. He was certain that Axel would want to tell him all about his date with Namine, and Roxas wanted to be the best friend he could, despite the fact that it would slowly kill him, but hey, there's nothing medication can't fix nowadays. And how should he act about his little scene today? Pretend it didn't happen, that could work. If he didn't mention it, neither would Axel. It was the one thing that never changed between them.

Roxas stopped his pacing. He was getting tired and he was fairly sure that Kairi would kill him if he wore down the flooring. 'Better to sleep now anyway. I'll need to be in possession of all my faculties if I don't want to fall asleep listening to Axel jabber on about nothing.' But Roxas didn't want to sleep. 'Food. Food is good.' His stomach agreed with him. Opening the fridge, he peered in, trying to figure out what he could eat that Kairi wouldn't kill him for. He knew, without a doubt that certain foods were meant for her only, and Roxas was bound to hear about it if he ate anything he wasn't supposed to. Sighing heavily, he decided that the chocolate was hers and decided to comfort himself with the fact that the turkey was still good, and he could make an obscenely large sandwich instead.

Eating slowly, Roxas tried to tell himself he was savoring the taste of the food instead of pining over Axel. It didn't work, but he knew it was worth a shot. He _really_ didn't want to go to school tomorrow. 'Wonder if Kairi would believe me if I told her I was sick.' 'No,' a voice responded. 'She'll know that you're just trying to stay away from Axel.' 'Well, damn.' He thought back. Staring out the window, Roxas watched as the lightening splayed a pattern across the near-black sky. The loudness of the following thunder caught Roxas off guard. 'Closer than they said it would be,' he mused, laughing at the fact that he even bothered to watch the weather. 'They're never right, anyways.' He laughed out loud at himself. Only he would sit at home on a half-day and watch the weather.

Dumping the plate in the sink, Roxas moved towards his bedroom, but still didn't feel like sleeping. The rain was letting up and he could really use a walk. He spent five minutes debating what Kairi's wrath would be, but decided it didn't matter. 'I want a walk and a walk I will get, dammit!' His legs agreed.

* * *

Axel might have grabbed a jacket on his way out the door, but it hardly protected him from the onslaught. Not that he noticed it much. He was too busy running. He knew what he had to do and he was in a very large hurry to do it. First stop, Namine. Second stop, Roxas.

Looking at the bedraggled printed directions, Axel decided he was at the right place and pushed open the door. The guests waiting in line looked at him with an air of disdain. Axel grinned. 'Yup, in the right place.' The hostess led him to a table where Namine was waiting, but Axel waved off a menu. After all, he wasn't staying.

"Axel? Why are you all wet?" Axel grinned down at her, not even bothering to sit.

"I decided that cabs are highly over rated and that I should work harder to help stop global warming." Namine looked up at him.

"You're…going on a strike against cab companies?" Axel sighed.

"Namine…I'm not staying." Anger flushed her face.

"Axel, this had better not be a joke, because it's not funny." Axel sighed – this was going to take longer than he thought, and resigned himself to finally sitting down.

"Namine, it's not a joke. I really wanted to date you, but…"

"You found a better challenge?" She finished, civility barely held in her tone.

"No, no…I found out that I really have to talk to Roxas." The anger vanished from her face, curiosity seeming to be more in control. "Roxas tried to talk to me today, said he had something important to tell me but all I could make out of it was 'olive juice.' But then Kairi came over while Sora was helping me get ready, and I found out that Roxas is gay and now I'm just all confused." Axel shoved a hand through his hair and Namine smiled.

"I love you." Axel raised an eyebrow. "Roxas didn't say 'olive juice.' He said 'I love you.' And Kairi purposely told you that Roxas was gay. She just left before you got here. She believes in taking a cab when it's raining." Axel laughed quietly.

"Kairi always knows everything…" Namine smiled at him.

"Axel, I like you, but in my opinion I think you need to talk to Roxas. I don't know, the two of you just kind of…collide, y'know?" She waved her hands as an effect. "Neither of you has ever stuck with a girlfriend…or boyfriend, as the case may be, and it seems that both of you are waiting for something. Maybe Kairi was just trying to give you the push you needed."

* * *

Deciding that now was an excellent time to go walking in the rain, Roxas finally got everything together and ran through his mental checklist. 'Rain shoes? Check. Umbrella? Check. Sanity? Nope, that left sometime after meeting Axel. Ok, time to go.' Double-checking that his key was indeed in his pocket, Roxas opened the door to be greeted by a soaking wet Axel.

"Ever hear of an umbrella?" he asked, prodding him with the tip of his.

"Ever hear of common courtesy?" Axel shot back. "How about inviting a man in?"

"No, you'll drip on the carpet and then Kairi will kill us both."

"Yeah, well, I'm willing to risk it." Axel shoved past him into the warmth of the apartment.

"Alright, just stop getting me wet along with you. Let me guess, you decided that cabs are highly overrated as well?" Axel grinned.

"Yep." Roxas sighed and rolled his eyes.

"And now you'll want a towel as well?" Axel nodded. "If you give a mouse a cookie…" Roxas muttered.

"Heard that…" Axel muttered between shivers. Roxas tossed him a towel.

"So, I figured that you'd still be dining Namine." Axel shook his head.

"No, had to talk to you." Roxas sat on the couch.

"So talk."

"Can I get a change of clothes?" Roxas nodded and Axel disappeared into his room only to reappear moments later. "'I love you'." Roxas stiffened. "That's what you said, Roxas. Well, muttered." He looked at Roxas who was studying the lines of the floor. "It is what you said, isn't it?"

Axel paused a moment, waiting for Roxas to say something, say anything, but he didn't. He remained silent, and Axel took the silence as a sign to continue, because while Roxas wasn't encouraging him on, he wasn't telling him to stop.

"Namine said we collide, y'know. Always come back to each other. But, I can't help thinkin'…why are we even pushing each other away to begin with?" He glanced at Roxas, seeing if he had the answer, but Roxas just glanced away. "Maybe I should go."

"Collide- a verb: crash together with violent impact." Axel looked at him. "We're always colliding, Axel." Axel smiled, sitting down next to him on the couch.

Resting his hand on Roxas' cheek he smiled and said, "I can live with that." Roxas smiled back.

"So can I." And they collided.


End file.
